You've probably heard plenty of stories about the advantages of founder-led companies. And for good reason. The founders of companies who stay on tend to have skin in the game, aligning their interests with those of shareholders. They also usually know very well the industries in which their companies operate. These factors often contribute to the stocks delivering great returns over the long run.
But a company doesn't have to be led by a founder for its stock to be a winner for long-term investors. Three great dividend stocks that aren't but have handily beaten the overall market in total return over the last five and 10 years are Abbott Laboratories (NYSE: ABT), Medtronic (NYSE: MDT), and Texas Instruments (NASDAQ: TXN).
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